Entrepreneurs don't have a lot of wiggle room with their customer base; one failed transaction or negative experience can ruin the brand's reputation with a client forever. Understanding how important it is to keep customers happy forces entrepreneurs to check their business budgeting software and see if they can purchase a solution to aid in ensuring all of the needs of their clients are met.

It turns out many entrepreneurs are having similar thoughts, with recent research from Gartner showing customer relationship management (CRM) solutions are among the top three application software investment initiatives for the upcoming year. This year is the first time CRM has outpaced enterprise resource planning as the most important purchase for enterprise.

Get customers to feel good about the brand 
Many entrepreneurs know the importance of meeting the needs of their customers, but few act on it and ensure they are going above and beyond the call of duty. When firm owners are unsure if they are really doing all they can to improve business relationships, sometimes it is wise move to ask themselves some simple questions just to see if their company is truly endeared by their clients. A recent article for Inc. magazine listed these questions and explained why they are so important.

Are customers getting a reward? 
Many of today's consumers are motivated by free products and/or services, or access to special information that is not made available to the general public. This is why creating perks could be a good idea for entrepreneurs who want higher levels of engagement with their customer base. Using social media to promote these initiatives is a good way to get people to learn about what they may be missing out on.

Are people talking about the company?
There are several entrepreneurs who are content with letting the firm continue to drift on without creating any new marketing strategies or trying to get the word out about their company. The business products or services can only go so far, entrepreneurs have to make sure customers are gaining interest in the brand and people want to know more about  its offerings. Providing customers with a stellar customer experience is one way businesses can generate buzz.

Are target customers easy to find?
It's nearly impossible for entrepreneurs to have a successful business without establishing where they will find their niche in the marketplace. Quickly identifying their customer base and adjusting marketing strategies to that target audience will not only make it easy to form strong bonds with their clients, it can also help the firm generate higher levels of revenue. Once entrepreneurs know who their target customers are, it's important to try to learn as much about them and try to get inside their heads.

Are customers receiving a strong marketing message?
Entrepreneurs can look no further than last month's Super Bowl to see how much of an impact marketing messages have in the relationships between businesses and their customer base. When companies are coming out with creating marketing messages and getting people talking about the firm, there is a better chance the business will be able to achieve higher sales numbers. In many instances, one viral message has brought businesses to a whole new level of success.